This summer we went to Handel's house in London, which has been made into a museum, the Handel House. It was here that he wrote his greatest works, including Messiah. It is in the center of the city, in Mayfair, and worth a visit if you are in London. Some interesting facts about Handel which we learned there:
1. Handel was a bachelor all his life.
2. Jimi Hendrix, the famous American rock guitarist, lived in the same house, which is a little weird. He hosted big parties there with famous rockers and lots of drugs. A whole room in the house is devoted to him.
3. Handel was something of a childhood prodigy. When he was a child his dad took him along to visit a family friend who was a Duke. Handel was put on a piano stool and began playing on his own, awed everyone, and the Duke convinced his dad to get him musical lessons since he obviously had talent.
4. The writer of the words of Messiah was very disappointed with what Handel wrote (see the quote above). Charles Jennens said "I shall put no more sacred words into his hands to be thus abused". Of course, today everyone has heard of Handel and few remember Charles Jennens.
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